7/6 Strip Pit Report

Thought I would put a post up, since it has been pretty slow on here over the past month. Put in my kayak around 545PM and started off trying a purple plastic worm texas rigged with no takers. The water was a little off color due to the recent rain and had raised the water in the pit above normal pool, so I decided to start throwing a bright colored crankbait. Again, the fish were not having it. So, I switched to a berkley flicker shad in a shad pattern and couldn't get a bite. Finally, went to my go to lure which is the jointed shad rapala. I started throwing it along a flooded bank and managed a few tiny bass in shallow water. The first one came around 645 and the bite really turned on from there due to the clouds and falling sun. The biggest was maybe 8 inches and some were about the same size as the lure. I managed to work my way back to the only spot in the pit that produces any bass over 2 pounds. The spot is a nice dropoff from shallow to deep water with weeds in the shallow portion. This portion of the lake is like a channel that connects the two parts of the lake and I believe to be a highway for the shad population. My first cast into the deep portion of the channel was hammered by a 3 pound bass that spit the hook on the first jump. A few casts later, I was cranking my crankbait and it came to a complete halt. The drag on my reel took off and the bass completely jumped out of the water. I started getting towed around in my kayak and the bass started working its way to the shallow portion. I was having problems staying on top of it because it was stripping drag and I was doing my best to get on top of it so it wouldnt try jumping again. I finally wore it down and successfully lipped it in the kayak. Luckily, the lure stayed hooked just on the outside of the bass' mouth and was a pain trying to get out. The fish ended up being a guesstimated 23 inches and about 7 pounds. After this epic fight, I continued to fish the hole but couldnt muster a strike. Due to the big fish about getting off and the 3 pounder spitting the hook, I decided to quickly change the hooks on the jointed shad rapala (original hooks are to small and not sharp enough). Looking back, I am glad I made this decisions. With the hooks changed, I repeateadly made casts into my honey hole and again hooked into a fish that started taking drag on the surface. At first the fish was making a wake on top of the water and was putting up a heck of fight making me think I had a bowfin. Finally, it jumped out of the water and I though to myself I have caught the same fish again. The fight ensued for a while longer, I had the bass within reach and was getting ready to grab him when he made one more attempt to get away. A little line came out but I was able to lift it up near the yak. I pinned him against the yak with one hand and lipped him with the other. I couldn't believe what I saw. This bass was a lot bigger than the first and had to be 25 inches. It was a chunk too. The day was one I will never forget and it still amazes me that one could fish the entire lake and only catch 8 inch fish, if they didnt know about this one little spot. The picture of the small one does not do it any justice, but believe me it was a hog too.

[QUOTE=rolltide;517275]Thought I would put a post up, since it has been pretty slow on here over the past month. Put in my kayak around 545PM and started off trying a purple plastic worm texas rigged with no takers. The water was a little off color due to the recent rain and had raised the water in the pit above normal pool, so I decided to start throwing a bright colored crankbait. Again, the fish were not having it. So, I switched to a berkley flicker shad in a shad pattern and couldn't get a bite. Finally, went to my go to lure which is the jointed shad rapala. I started throwing it along a flooded bank and managed a few tiny bass in shallow water. The first one came around 645 and the bite really turned on from there due to the clouds and falling sun. The biggest was maybe 8 inches and some were about the same size as the lure. I managed to work my way back to the only spot in the pit that produces any bass over 2 pounds. The spot is a nice dropoff from shallow to deep water with weeds in the shallow portion. This portion of the lake is like a channel that connects the two parts of the lake and I believe to be a highway for the shad population. My first cast into the deep portion of the channel was hammered by a 3 pound bass that spit the hook on the first jump. A few casts later, I was cranking my crankbait and it came to a complete halt. The drag on my reel took off and the bass completely jumped out of the water. I started getting towed around in my kayak and the bass started working its way to the shallow portion. I was having problems staying on top of it because it was stripping drag and I was doing my best to get on top of it so it wouldnt try jumping again. I finally wore it down and successfully lipped it in the kayak. Luckily, the lure stayed hooked just on the outside of the bass' mouth and was a pain trying to get out. The fish ended up being a guesstimated 23 inches and about 7 pounds. After this epic fight, I continued to fish the hole but couldnt muster a strike. Due to the big fish about getting off and the 3 pounder spitting the hook, I decided to quickly change the hooks on the jointed shad rapala (original hooks are to small and not sharp enough). Looking back, I am glad I made this decisions. With the hooks changed, I repeateadly made casts into my honey hole and again hooked into a fish that started taking drag on the surface. At first the fish was making a wake on top of the water and was putting up a heck of fight making me think I had a bowfin. Finally, it jumped out of the water and I though to myself I have caught the same fish again. The fight ensued for a while longer, I had the bass within reach and was getting ready to grab him when he made one more attempt to get away. A little line came out but I was able to lift it up near the yak. I pinned him against the yak with one hand and lipped him with the other. I couldn't believe what I saw. This bass was a lot bigger than the first and had to be 25 inches. It was a chunk too. The day was one I will never forget and it still amazes me that one could fish the entire lake and only catch 8 inch fish, if they didnt know about this one little spot. The picture of the small one does not do it any justice, but believe me it was a hog too.[/QUOTE]


I have been reading "Lucas on Bass" which is a book written by Jason Lucas who was the Sports Afield Fishing Editor for many years.

Your story reminds me of what Lucas has to say on bass fishing during the hot summer months. Even lakes that seemed to be fished out have these special deep water spots that hold stringer of big bass. He even talks about how to triangulate the spot so that he can find it again even if way out a mile into the lake. Your story confirms that he's right on the money.

Nice fish bud

Thank you. Looks like the fishing is really going to get tough over the next month or two with the first real heat wave of the year. The weeds and algae have really grown over the past week.